Improvement in boots and shoes



W. J. WATKINS. 3007s AND SHOES.

No. 189,819. Patented April 17,1877.

WIT ESSES Km w-GM- ATTORNEY NJFTERS. PHOTO-LITNOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D.C.

' an STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO JOSEPH HUGHES, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN BOQTS AND SHOES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 189 819 dated April 17,1877; application filed October 17, 1876.

tain new and useful Improvements inthe Construction of Boots and Shoes;and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,

clear, and exact description thereof, reference being bad to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,

' which form' part of this specification.

My invention relates particularly to miners boots; and it consists inthe'means for protecting and strengthening the same, as will behereinafter more fully set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my inventionappertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe itsconstruction and. operation, referring to the annexed drawing, in whichFigure 1 is a side elevation of my improved miners boot. 'Fig. 2 is apartial section of the same, and Fig. 3 is a bottom view thereof.

A represents the foot, B the sole, and O the heel, of a heavy boot, suchas are used by miners. At the toe of the boot is a tip, D, made ofbrass, as the sulphur or mine water will not affect it nor rust it as itwill iron. Under the sole B, around the edge, is a steel plate, E, asshown. The tip D is formed with a flange, a, around its edge, which lieson the projecting edge of the sole B. b b are rivets passing throughsaid flange and sole, and

through the steel plate E underneath, and riveted fast into both metals,thereby binding the sole tight, and preventing it from getting soft andswelling in water. These rivets are of steel, and the heads will serveas sprigs or catches underneath the toe to aid the miner in climbing upheavy pitching veins.

Under the heel 0, around the edges, is a plate, G, also provided withsprigs d d, to prevent slipping, 850. This plate is cut out ofsheet-steel, and is formed with a flange, h, extending across the forepart of. the heel, which is of great importance as it prevents the coalfrom cutting and wearing the heel. Without this flange the coal andother things would have a good hold upon the tacks at the edge of theheel, and one after another they are all kicked out. This plate willalso 'protect the heel from wearing one side before the other.

On the-outside of the counter of the boot is sewed a heel-stiffener, H,of sole-leather, to

protect the counter from the cutting of the coal, &c. The ends of thispiece are extended past the side seams toward the hollow of the case theheads of the screws would be up,

and the points extend through the steel plate E about one-sixteenth ofan inch, so as to act as sprigs toprevent slipping. The sole and heelare provided with a number of studs, :0, as is usual in this class ofboots.

This invention is applicable not only to miners boots, but also to anyheavy working boots and shoes.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire .to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with a boot or shoe, the brass tip D, with flange a,the bottom steel plate E, and rivets orscrews passing through the soleand said metal (parts, as and for the purposes herein set forth.

2. The horseshoe-shaped heel-plate Gr,formed of sheet metal, with theflange h, to extend across the breast of the heel, and provided withsprigs d, as and for the purposes herein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM J. WATKINS.

Witnesses:

J osEPH HUGHES, JOHN HUGHES.

